Mar. 3, 1915: Congress approves the Seamen’s Act, providing the merchant marine with rights similar to those gained by factory workers. Action on the law was prompted by the sinking of the Titanic three years earlier. Among other gains: working hours were limited to 56 per week; guaranteed minimum standards of cleanliness and safety were put in place.

Nov. 14, 2012 | …What on earth does union busting have to do with crashing an entire global economy? Let's take the USA first. It doesn't take a Ph.D in economics to figure out that people will do what they need to survive. As union busting became a national sport here, wages remained frozen or even declined. But our financial system came to the rescue with that magic plastic we called credit cards and that magic paper we call loan contracts…Debt went through the roof…Debt has become the new slavery. Chains of iron are replaced by chains of plastic and paper…Now you tell me. Was it such a great idea to go on a union busting rampage and pay workers with credit cards and dicey loan contracts instead of decent wages, benefits and low interest loans? Read the full story at Working Class Heroes.